Rail anchor



April 12, 1927.

' H. G. WARR RAIL ANCHOR 2 Shets-Sheetl Filed Jan 51, 1925 Iillll w 1,624,028 April 12, 1927. I H GYWARR RAIL ANCHOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1925 all Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,624,028 PATENT OFFICE.

nnnonn e. ween, or PARK nines, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 1 THE P a M COMPANY, or onrcaeo, rumors, A oonronn'rron or ILLINOIS.

RAIL ANCHOR.

Application filed January My invention relates to rail anchor devices of the two-piece type in which the separate elements are provided with jaws for engaging opposite edges of the base of a rail and have a wedging interlocking engagement with each other.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide an anchor device which may be economically formed from a metal blank and which is of such configuration as to provide additional strength at the point where such additional strength is desirable.

nnother object is to provide improvements in sheet metal anchors of the twopiece t-ype, having co-engaging surfaces which interlock with each other at point beneath the rail base, whereby the anchor is provided with a flat surface for bearing against the under surface of the rail base at a point above said coengaging surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sheet metal anchor of the above general tyae, which may be more easily applied to 'a railroad rail than sheet metal anchors of the general type heretofore used. I

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal anchor of the above character having a tie abutting portion, so disposed with relation to the wedging, interlocking portions of the anchor, as to prevent any shifting of the anchor diagonally of the rail during the driving of one of the parts of the device into wedging engagement with the other.

The invention has for further objects such other new and improved constructions and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above.

stated objects, and such other incidental objects as will appear from the following description of the invention.

In the drawings:

F 1 is a face view of an anchor device made in accordance with my invention and applied to the base flange of a railroad rail, the base flange being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a structure shown in Fig. 1 with the parts arranged in their normal operative position, a portion of the rail being broken away for the purpose of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a view .of a sheet metal plate showing the shearing lines on which the plate is cut to provide blanks for one of the 31, 1925. Serial No. (5,099.

elements of the anchor shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. & is a plan view of a rail anchor of the general construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but which is modified in certain respects so as to expedite the manufacture of one of the elements.

Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of one of the jaw elements shown in the construction of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the other jaw elements of the construction shown in Fig. 1, and i Fig. 7 is a View of a metal blank from which the aw member of Fig. 5 is formed.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, of the drawing, wherein I have shown one embodiment of my invention, the anchor shown in these figures consists of two jaw members 10 and 11, made preferably from a metal blank, and having a wedging interlocking engagement with each other, and together embracing the brace 12 of a railroad rail.

The member 10 is formed, preferably, from a blank 13 of the configuration shown in Fig. 3, the end 14 of which is bent upwardly and inwardly to provide a jaw portion 15 adapted to engage one edge of the rail base 12. The other end of the blank is formed to provide a channel portion 17, the upstanding flange 18 of which extends at an angle to'the longitudinal center of the rail, and inclines inwardly to provide a wedging surface 19, which overhangs a portion of the body ofthe anchor. The angular portion 20 of the blank is bent downwardly to provide a tie abutment 21 adapted to bear against one of the vertical faces of a cross tie 22 or other stationary part of the road bed. The end portion 23 of the tie abutting portion preferably bears against the forward end of the channel portion 17, so as to provide a firm bearing against the tie at the end of the wedge portion 18. The channel portion 17, by virtue of its engage ment with the rear face of the tie abutting portion 21, reenforces the tie abutting porti'on.

In Fig. 3, I have shown the shearing Hill metal is confined entirely to the portion of metal removed from the recess 28 of the blank, which portion of metal is indicated by the reference character 28.

The member 11 of the anchor is made from a suitable sheet metal blank, and is bent to provide a jaw portion 25 for engaging the other edge of the rail base and is provided with a. downwardly extending flange 26. The flange 26 is disposed at an angle corresponding to the angle of the flange 18, so that the flanges 26 and 18 will function as wedge members to force the jaw portions 15 and 25 into firm gripping engagement with the rail when the member 11 is driven to its applied position. The flange 26 is inclined from the vertical to correspond with the inclination of the flange 18 of the member 10, so as to provide an interlocking engagement, which will prevent the channel end portions of member from moving downward when subjected to the chafing action, or vertical rubbing of the tie abutment against the tie while a train is passing over the rail to Which the device is applied. In order to expedite driving the member 11 to its applied position, the rear end of the member is pressed outwardly as indicated by the reference numeral 27, so as to increase the area of the end portion which receives the hammer blows when the member is being applied. With this construction it is possible to make the jaw member from relatively thin blanks and at the same time provide a relatively wide striking face.

In anchors of the above general type heretofore made of sheet metal, the interlocking flanges (corresponding to flanges 18 and 26) have been formed by bending the edges or" the blanks around suitable dies. With such construction, the strength of the angularly disposed flanges of the anchor elements depends largely upon the thickness of the blanks from which the elements are formed. In my improved anchor construction, the angularly disposed flanges 18 and 26 are formed, in each case, by so displacing the metal of the blank that the thickness of the metal on a line bisecting the angle is greater than the thickness of the blank. In the drawings, I have shown a construction in which the said thickness of metal on the lines bisecting said angles is indicated by the letters A and B in Fig. 1 and preferably, though not necessarily, extends to the apex of the angle. With my improved construction, it is practicable to use relatively thin blanks and at the same time provide sullicient strength to avoid distortion of said flanges, wnen they are driven into wedging engagement. The displacement of the metal of the blank from which the member 11 is formed, in addition to strengthening the flange 26, provides a flat bearing surface at the end of the member for engaging the under surface of the rail, thereby providing a brace to resist any tendency of the flange 26 to bend or straighten out when the member is driven to its wedging position. In order to minimize the displacement of metal during the upsetting operation to form the flange 18, the edge 16 of the blank 13 is sheared on a diagonal line as shown in Fig. 3 and the end of the blank from which the member 11 is formed is sheared at a similar angle.

In applying the anchor to a rail, the jaw 15 of the member 10 is applied over one edge of the rail base 12 and the tie abutment 21 is positioned against a vertical face of the tie 22. The jaw 25 of the member 11 may then be fitted over the opposite edge of the rail, and then moved toward the tie 22 so as to bring the coengaging wedging flanges 18 and 26 into interlocking engagement. By driving the member 11 toward the tie, the wedge portions 18 and 26 cooperate to bring the jaws into the desired gripping contact with the opposite edges of the rail base. In this connection it will be observed, that the position of the tie abutment between the tie and channel portion 1'? of the member 10 will prevent the hammer blows delivered against the rear end of the member 11 from shifting the member 10 diagonally of the rail.

In Figs. 4.. to 7 inclusive, I have shown another embodiment of my invention consist ing of two jaw members 10 and 11. These members are of the same construction as the members 10 and 11 shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, with the exception that in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, the height of the tie abutting flange 21 is substantially the same as the width of the body 27 of the member 10*.

In Fig. 7 I have shown my preferred form of. blank from which the jaw member 10 is formed. In this embodiment the width at of the body portion 27 is the same as the width 7) of the angular portion 20, from which the tie abutment 21 of the anchor is formed.

lVhile I have described my invention in twospeciflc embodiments, it will be obvious that other modifications in the structure of the anchor device might be made without departure from the spirit of my invention. I, therefore, contemplate all such modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A. rail anchor comprising rail gripping members provided with coengaging wedging surfaces so disposed that movement of one member with relation to the other effects a grip of said members on opposite edges of the rail, one of said members being formed of sheet metal and adapted to exert pressure at the extremity of its said wedging surface against a cross tie.

2. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members provided with coengag ing wedge portionsso disposed that movement of one member with relation to the other effects a grip of said members on opposite edges of the rail, one of said members being formed of sheet metal and provided at the extremity of its said wedge portion with means for bearing against a cross tie.

3. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members provided with coengaging wedge portions so disposed that movement of one member with relation to the other effects a grip of said members on opposite edges of the rail, one of said members being formed of sheet metal and provided with a portion bent to bear against the wedge portion of said member and adapted to abut against a cross tie.

i. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members provided with coengagingwec ge portions so disposed that movement of one men'iber with relation to the other effects a grip of said members on opposite edges of the rail, one of said members being formed of sheet metal and provided with a portion bent downwardly to bear against the wedge portion of said member and adapted to abut against a cross tie.

5. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members provided with coengaging wedge portions so disposed that movement of one member with relation to the other effects a grip of said members on opposite edges of the rail, one of said members being formed of sheet metal and provided with a portion bent to a'position between the extremity of said wedge portion and a cross tie, to provide a tie'abutment disposed to prevent said sheet metal member from shifting diagonally of the rail while the said other member is being driven to its operative position.

(3. A rail anchor comprising two sheet metal members formed with jaw portions for engaging opposite edges of the rail base, one of said members being formed with an angularly disposed flange and the other member formed with a channel shaped portion adapted to interlock therewith, and with a tie abutting portion adapted to bear against the forward end of said channel shaped portion for the purpose described.

'7. A rail anchor comprising two sheet metal members formed with jaw portions for engaging opposite edges of the rail base, one of said members being formed with an angularly disposed flange and the other member formed with a channel shaped portion adapted to interlock therewith at a point beneath the rail base, said member being provided with a downwardly bent portion adapted to bear against a cross tie and against the forward .end of said channel shaped portion, for the purpose described.

8. A rail anchor comprising two members which together embrace the base of a rail, one of which is formed with a jaw for engaging one edge of the rail base and with flange angularly disposed with relation to the longitudinal center of the rail and the other said member being made of sheet metal and formed at one end with a jaw for engaging the other edge of the rail, at the other end with an angularly disposed flange having an interlocking and 'wedging engagement with the flange of said first mentioned member, and provided with a tie abutting portion adapted to bear against the forward end of its angu-larly disposed wedge memher.

9. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members adapted to engage opposite edges of a rail base; one of said members being formed from a metal blank, one edge of which is upset to provide means for engagmg the other member.

10. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members adapted to engage opposite edges of a rail base; one of said members being formed of sheet metal and provided with means for engaging the other member, comprising an angularly disposed portion in which the metal extends to the apex of the angle.

11. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members adapted to engage opposite edges of a rail base, one of said members being formed from a metal blank, the metal along one edge of which is displaced to provide means for engaging the other member.

12. A rail anchor comprising rail gripping members adapted to engage opposite edges of a rail base; one of said members being -formed from a metal blank, one edge of which is upset to provide an angularly disposed portion for engaging the other member, in which angular portion the metal extends to the apex of the angle.

13. A rail anchor comp-rsing rail gripping members adapted to engage opposite edges of a rail base; one of said members being formed from a metal blank, one edge of which is provided with means for engaging the other member, comprising an angularly disposed portion in which the thickness of the metal on a line bisecting the angle, is greater than the thickness of the body portion of the blank.

lat. A rail anchor comprising two sheet metal members formed with means for engaging opposite edges of a rail base and provided with coengaging wedging portions which interlock with each other; said wedging portions comprising angularly disposed flanges in which the metal of each flange extends to the apex of the angle.

15. A rail anchor comprising two sheet metal members formed with means for engaging opposite edges of a rail base and provided with coengaging wedging portions ill which interlock with each other at a point beneath the rail base; said wedging portions comprising angularly disposed flanges in which the metal of each flange extends to the apex of the angle.

16. A rail anchor comprising two sheet metal members provided with coengaging wedging surfaces so disposed that movement of one member with relation to the other ofitects a grip of said members on opposite edges of the rail, one of said members lie-- mg provided at the extremity of its said wedging surface with means for hearing against the cross tie; said wedging comprising angularly disposed flanges in which the metal of each flange extends to the apex of the angle.

17. A. rail anchor comprising two sheet metal members formed with coengaging wedging portions, so disposed that movement or one member with relation to the other effects a grip of said members on opposite edges of the rail, one of said members being i'ormed with a downwardly bent portion adapted to bear against one edge oi said member and against a cross tie; said wedge portions comprising angularly disposed flanges in which the metal of each flange extends toward the apex of the angle. 18. A rail anchor comprising a member formed with means for gripping one edge of a rail. base, and a sheet metal member formed with means for gripping the opposite edge of said base and provided with means adapted to be driven into wedging engagement with the first mentioned member; said sheet metal member being formed with an enlargement to provide a striking surface adapted to receive the driving force during the application of the anchor to a rail.

19. A rail anchor comprising a member formed with means for gripping one edge of a rail base, and a sheet metal member formed with a jaw for gripping the opposite edge of the rail, and provided with means adapted to be driven into wedging engagement with the first mentioned member; said sheet metal member being formed at one end with an out-pressed portion to pro vide a striking surface adapted to receive the driving force during the application of the anchor to a rail.

20. A rail anchor member formed from a metal blank, one edge of which is bent upwardly and inwardly to provide a rail gripping portion and formed at the other end with a diagonal edge, which is upset to provide an angularly disposed flange.

21. A rail anchor member formed from a metal blank, the body portion of which is bent upwardly at one end to provide a rail enga ing portion, and is upset at the other end to provide an angularly disposed flange.

2:2. A rail anchor member formed from a metal blank. the body portion of which is bent upwardly at one end to provide a rail gripping portion, and is upset at the other end to provide an angularly disposed flange, said blank being formed along one of its longitudinal edges with an angular porlion adapted to be bent at an angle to the body portion to provide a tie abutment.

A rail anchor member formed from a metal blank. the body portion of which is bent upwardly at one end to provide a rail gripping portion, and is upset at the other end to provide an angularly disposed flange; said blank being formed along one edge with a substantially L-shaped portion adapted to be bent at an angle to the bot y to bear against said upset portion.

2 A rail anchor comprising a sheet metal member formed with means for gripping the base flange of a rail, a portion normally spaced away from the bottom surface of the rail base when the anchor is in its applied position, and tie abutting means to bear against said last mentioned portion.

A. rail anchor comprising two members having an interlocking engagement with each other and provided with means for engaging opposite edges of a rail base, one of said members being made of sheet metal and formed with a channel shaped portion to provide said interlocking engagement and formed with a tie abutting portion adapted to bear against said channel portion whereby said tie abutting portion is reinforced.

HAROLD G. WVARR. 

